A Users' Guide to Measuring Local Governance
A Users' Guide to Measuring Local Governance
A Users' Guide to Measuring Local Governance
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groups of ac<strong>to</strong>rs that feature on flashcards: the (i)<br />
Union Parishad, (ii) community organizations/<br />
citizens, (iii) traditional leaders/institutions (e.g. the<br />
elite, religious leaders), (iv) government line agencies,<br />
(v) private sec<strong>to</strong>r, (vi) support organizations<br />
(NGOs).<br />
Participants are invited <strong>to</strong> discuss these two questions:<br />
1 Demand for good local governance: How well<br />
is the citizens’ participation in regard <strong>to</strong><br />
governance?<br />
2 Supply of good local governance: How well<br />
does the local government function?<br />
The evaluation of local governance issues, at both<br />
the community and UP levels, takes place in<br />
several small groups of maximum 8 persons (see<br />
Key ac<strong>to</strong>rs/stakeholders session as well). Such an<br />
assessment is undertaken through a questionnaire<br />
examining some “core governance issues” (20 for<br />
the community LGSA and 28 for the UP LGSA,<br />
organised in<strong>to</strong> the demand and supply sides of<br />
local governance). Once participants in each group<br />
all agree on what the question means and what<br />
the ideal situation would look like, they make their<br />
individual ranking regarding the current situation.<br />
The ranking is done on a common poster paper<br />
on a score from 1 <strong>to</strong> 6. Table 27 provides<br />
some examples of “core governance issues”<br />
covered in the community questionnaire, and the<br />
scoring system.<br />
Once all issues are assessed, each group should<br />
decide on a maximum of four issues that they<br />
would like <strong>to</strong> see improved; these issues will be<br />
further discussed with the other groups in order <strong>to</strong><br />
draw up a final list of priority issues that have <strong>to</strong> be<br />
improved. At the community level LGSA, these<br />
priorities can be expected <strong>to</strong> be improved either<br />
by community groups or by the Union Parishad;<br />
while, at the UP level LGSA, the priority issues<br />
identified in the meeting will only be the<br />
responsibility of the Union Parishad that is meant<br />
<strong>to</strong> develop a <strong>Local</strong> <strong>Governance</strong> Improvement Plan<br />
accordingly. Results from the community<br />
self-assessment are expected <strong>to</strong> be presented <strong>to</strong><br />
the Union Parishad in order <strong>to</strong> be integrated in the<br />
<strong>Local</strong> <strong>Governance</strong> Improvement Plan.<br />
Key ac<strong>to</strong>rs/stakeholders<br />
COMMUNITY LEVEL LGSA: Participants at the<br />
meeting should include: community Based<br />
Organisations representatives, local business<br />
people, youth, traditional leaders, ordinary citizens<br />
(farmers, housewives, etc.), Union Parishad<br />
member of the ward (as guest, not participant) and<br />
Union Parishad women member of the greater<br />
ward (as guest, not participant). It is recommended<br />
<strong>to</strong> leave the invitation process <strong>to</strong> a CBO interested<br />
in organising the citizens’ LGSA and not <strong>to</strong> any<br />
member of the Union council. Facilita<strong>to</strong>rs for the<br />
meetings are represented by community members<br />
oriented and trained in advance.<br />
Community meetings can be held at different<br />
levels, at village, ward or greater ward level. The<br />
meetings aim <strong>to</strong> give the opportunity <strong>to</strong> be<br />
involved in assessing local governance functioning<br />
<strong>to</strong> different ac<strong>to</strong>rs and a wider public, particularly<br />
those belonging <strong>to</strong> the most vulnerable groups.<br />
UNION PARISHAD LGSA: Participants should<br />
represent different ac<strong>to</strong>rs at the Union Parishad<br />
level: the Union Parishad chairman, Union Parishad<br />
members and secretary, as well as some<br />
representatives from community organizations,<br />
the private sec<strong>to</strong>r and traditional leaders. One or<br />
more Partner NGOs facilitate the meeting.<br />
Gender focus<br />
The LGSA strongly encourage the participation<br />
of women in the decision-making process. In<br />
particular, during the assessment’s phase concerning<br />
the evaluation of governance issues, a particular<br />
group for women is expected <strong>to</strong> be constituted for<br />
both the community and UP LGSA in order <strong>to</strong> allow<br />
them <strong>to</strong> express their opinions freely. Furthermore,<br />
in the (community LGSA questionnaire, a<br />
key question concerns the extent of women<br />
participation in the UP meetings; while, in the UP<br />
level assessment, specific questions are formulated<br />
about the voice of women members in UP<br />
meetings as well as the participation of women in<br />
the decision-making of the village court and in the<br />
coordination meetings.<br />
Poverty focus<br />
The participation of the poor and other<br />
marginalised groups in the decision-making<br />
118 UNDP Oslo <strong>Governance</strong> Centre